MLIM - "'round Midnight"

I've always felt a strong connection to music over the decades, as I suspect most of us do, particularly how we each have select moments and memories that frequently align with select notes and chords. I call this series "My Life, In Music", or "MLIM" for short.

My earliest explorations of the works of Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, I believe in my early 20s, provided me with my first exposure to "The Great American Songbook" and the catalog of classics performed by them and numerous others with Nelson Riddle's orchestral accompaniment. It was sometime later that I purchased the 3-CD "'round Midnight" compilation of the three studio albums Linda Ronstadt recorded with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra from 1983 to 1986. The specifics are unclear regarding what ultimately led to my first hearing of these recordings. I vaguely recall a library copy that I checked out while living on Loma Vista Ave in Los Gatos. It quickly became a lifetime favorite, one of a handful of select recordings and genres that have come in and out of heavy rotation every few years since.

I was very aware of Linda Ronstadt's presence. My girlfriend was a huge fan, which pretty much made me a huge fan, too. Her music was prominent in the mid to late '70s, and her foray into the 'rock-a-billy meets punk' sounds of Elvis Costello in the '80s with "Girls Talk" felt like a smooth transition into a new wave of musical styles coming into play. 

During a brief stop at Matt Peters' mom's house in 1983, she began waxing poetic about how wonderful she thought Linda's release of standard covers titled "What's New?" was. At this point, I had no idea who Nelson Riddle was nor his significance to the big band and ballad era of the '40s and '50s. I scoffed and dismissed it as a (sky)lark, a one-off detour she had taken, without giving it a first listen or a second chance. It never entered my mind at the time how I would later look back with gratitude, thankful that I could tell Mrs. P. just how much I had come to appreciate her wisdom and insight and Ms Rondstat's renditions.

The incredible mastering of these recordings and the range of Linda's voice are well paired. There are moments when she sings that I start to anticipate the shattering of wine glasses in the nearby cabinet. Her voice is a showcase, an essential instrument among the layers of strings, wind, and percussion that overlap and envelop her performances. She stands toe-to-toe with the likes of Cole, Sinatra, London, Krall, and any other vocalists who put their own spin on these timeless songs.

When I finally opened my ears and mind to her renditions, they quickly became a critical turning point in my appreciation of her vast range of vocal abilities, as well as the breadth and scope of this era, and this music.